Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this and it is a very positive development to be commended. However, for James who started school in September 2018 and who was referred by the early intervention team to the Galway and Roscommon autism spectrum disorder service in Athenry and placed on a four-year waiting list for occupational therapy and speech and language therapy, the announcement will not have an impact. His access to these vital supports is now being delayed for a further 12 months because therapists are doing contact tracing. As a result, James will be in third class before he accesses these supports, which will help him to participate fully in school. This is having a devastating impact on James and on 1,048 other children on this waiting list in these two countries alone. It also impacts on the education of up to 136,000 pupils throughout County Roscommon and County Galway who are sitting in classes with these children. This does not lead to effective integration. It is welcome but we need to address the HSE problem also.

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